Lafayette holds form in 4-1 boys soccer win against Smithfield

Highlights from Lafayette's 4-1 victory over Smithfield during Thursday's game at the Warhill Sports Complex.

Highlights from Lafayette's 4-1 victory over Smithfield during Thursday's game at the Warhill Sports Complex.

Marty O'Brien, mobrien@dailypress.com

JAMES CITY — It was the kind of game that literally and figuratively could’ve been a trap for Lafayette High’s boys soccer team. Playing against a Smithfield team with slightly less talent but in good form, and one difficult to score against because of its offside trap, the Rams could’ve been in for some trouble Thursday afternoon.

Instead, they took the attack to the Packers from the start, dominating the proceedings en route to a 4-1 Bay Rivers District victory. Reeves Trott, a sophomore midfielder already among the district’s best players, led the way with two goals and an assist.

“We know that they beat Tabb and we lost to Tabb, so (we) were expecting a hard game,” Trott said. “They key was intensity.

“We came out very strong and got a great chance in the first 20 seconds.”

That chance was Doron Davis’ missed shot at an open goal. The goal was unguarded because Smithfield keeper Coleman Forbes had turned his ankle and crumpled to the ground.

Forbes would leave the game and not return. While he’s having a very good season, it’s doubtful Forbes could’ve blunted the chemistry of Trott and Lafayette forward Jason Eckenrode.

Possibly the district’s best scoring tandem, they struck a minute after Forbes limped to the sideline, just 1:13 after the opening whistle. Trott served a cross to the foot of Eckenrode, whose shot from close range would have eluded even Italian goalkeeping legend Dino Zoff.

“We play on the same club team, the Virginia Legacy, so we have a connection all year long,” Trott said. “That translates well over to high school.”

Eckenrode said, “We connect very well on the run without saying anything. It’s eye contact and everything like that.”

The Packers then began implementing the offside trap that would eventually snare the Rams 11 times. But since so much of the action was directed at the Smithfield goal in the first half, more Lafayette scores were inevitable.

The Rams’ next two goals were Trott beauties off corner kicks. Noor Rahman sent the first, which Trott quick-footed into the net with a volley off a bounce. His second was a header off Matt Beatty’s corner that made it 3-0 late in the first half.

Beatty was the third pillar of the Rams’ victory, transitioning effortlessly and excellently from offense to defense in the midfield. The final element of the Rams’ decisive win was the defense, in which backs Anthony Vaccaro, Andrew Vaccaro, Jordan Barton and sweeper Denzel Speed were virtually impenetrable.

Leading by three goals, Rams coach Brian Sorrell removed his starters with 20 minutes remaining to get the reserves some seasoning. But after the Smithfield starters mounted heavy pressure on the Rams’ goal for nearly 10 minutes, closing the gap to 3-1 on Will Healy’s goal following a missed clearance, Sorrell reinserted his defenders.

The Rams regained control and pushed the final margin back to three on Joshua Brooks’ goal via Beatty’s pass a minute from the end.

“They came out to play and we didn’t show up until it was too late,” Smithfield coach Lawrence Rotruck said. “I give all the credit to Lafayette.”